Family Relationships in Christ (Part 1)

Have you taken a good look at the world lately?  When you did, notice the destruction that has gone on?  Through the years, I noticed one major theme: When the family is broken, the world is broken.  There seems to be this trickle down effect that occurs when the families foundation is not placed on God, but instead on the world.  How does this get fixed?  Where does one start? 

The next several blogs I am going to be talking about this specifically.  I'm going to break it down into three major sub-topics: FATHERS, MOTHERS, and CHILDREN.  Each sub-topic will address what the individuals need to do in order to get the family back on track.  Please note that in order to get the point across, I will be bold.

FIRST....to the FATHERS.

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. 

He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word.

He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish.  Instead, she will be holy and without fault.  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies.  For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.  Not one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.  And we are members of his body. 

As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one."  This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.  So again I say, each man much love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."  Ephesians 5: 25-33

 

WOW!  Fathers, did you read that carefully?  The points below are those of my Pastor's regarding this very topic.  So what are father's suppose to do?  Father are to....

• Serve- Be the leader in the household.  Men, you have the hardest job to guide your family in  the way God wants you too.  You are to serve God first, then your wife, then your children.
• Love- Husbands are called to love their wife as Christ loved the church and as much as you love your body.  If you take care of your body (physically, emotionally, spiritually), so you must love your wife enough to take care of her the same way.  You are to love you children in the same discipline as well.  If you fail to love your wife, you are offending God who created her for you.
• Sacrifice- A husband is called to lay his life down for his wife, just as Christ has laid down His life for us.  However, to take this a step further, husbands need to get to know their wife's interest (What does she life?  What is her favorite flower?  What makes her smile/cry?)
• Be an example - Have integrity and honor.  If you are to be the leader of the household, what example are you setting for your family when you do not have have integrity or honor? 
• Have patience with wife and children- Know this men, women are more fragile emotionally and physically than you.  When your child steps out of line, be willing to guide them back.  Take the time to teach your children the ways of the Lord.
• Remain faithful - If you begin to threaten divorce, you begin to weaken the relationship.  Can you imagine what would happen if Christ started to threaten us with not receiving grace or forgiving our sins? 
• Do not provoke your children- Ephesians 6:4 states, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.  Rather, bring them up with the "discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.""  There are TOO MANY fathers in the world who are taking the backseat to parenting or not even riding the in same car.  Be present, be active, be a LEADER!

At some point, our world became lazy.  Whatever the reason or cause for the laziness, it is time for husbands/fathers to step up.  Be proactive now.  I read in a book called The 10 Commandments of Parenting that if children were wanted when they were young, they would not be wanted on Americans Most Wanted when they are older. 

I will not discredit the challenge that husbands/fathers face.  Being a leader is never easy.  However, if you remain devoted to Christ and seek out HIS will, He will guide your path.  There may be times that your wife/children do not want to follow your instructions or submit.  The single most influential action you can take then is to pray.  Be the lighthouse to your family in a dark and cold world!

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the individuals that read this blog may hear Your word.  I pray Lord for the husbands/fathers in this world.  I pray that they draw close to you in order to be the leader You have called them to be for their family.  Please help restore the many broken families.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.